Blessed
by Umbryn
Summary: This is the story of a cat, her human and a bond that would last a lifetime. This is my entry for Effanineffable's "Where has Jelly gone?" challenge.
1. Chapter 1

Jellylorum curled up beside her human, Cameron, her old bones shaking under the force of her purrs as thin elderly fingers scratched the length of her back. She listened to the beeping of the heart monitor and Cameron's ragged breathing. It wouldn't be long now, she could smell it on him, the inevitable. Jelly was just glad she was allowed to be with him, the hospital had fought against allowing the queen to be with her owner and friend, but Cameron's family had ultimately won the argument when they were able to prove that the presence of Jellylorum was beneficial for the old man. In truth, being with him was just as beneficial for her. After Cameron had been taken to hospital, Jelly had stopped eating, heartbroken and narrowly escaping being put down. At a record breaking forty-two years old, the Munchkin queen would not have blamed the younger humans in Cameron's family for taking her to the vet one final time to meet Everlasting and all the Jellicles she had outlived, but this, this was better, this was what they both wanted to be together in their final breaths.

"Poppy..." Cameron rasped, dull browns struggling to find the frail calico.

Jelly mewed weakly and crawled onto his chest, perking her whiskers in a smile, giving him and affectionate slow blink.

Cameron smiled and blinked back, "Tell me a story," he laid his hand on her shoulders.

She arched into his touch and purred, thinking back to when she'd first met her life long friend...


	2. Chapter 2

The wind screamed in the ears of the terrified kitten, threatening to drown out her cries for help. Her family had moved away, they'd forgotten her and her short legs had been unable to catch up with their vehicle. That had been three days ago, three days alone struggling to find food and drinking dirty water. She knew she need to find either a friendly cat willing to tolerate her long enough for her to learn to survive as a stray or a new family. So far human and feline a like had chased away the Munchkin for one reason or another. She climbed the steps of another human home, her hopes gone with the billowing rain. Staring at the door she puffed out her chest, braced against the constant buffeting.

The kitten scratched at the door, yowling at the top of miniscule lungs. When nothing happened, she sat down, quiet but only for a moment starting up again, desperate for the love an compassion her other family had falsely promised. Hours passed like this and the small calico curled up into a tight ball, the wind had grown worse, rain was in the air. Hopefully the coming storm would skip the lightening, the one thing cats hated more than dogs. The sound of a vehicle pulling up to the curb caused her to lift her chin, was it her family? Had they realized they'd forgotten about her and had returned to look for her? Excitement warmed her heart, uncontrollably purring. But...it wasn't the van she'd seen the family use everyday since being taken from her mother. Her purrs ceased and her head dropped. Of course it wasn't them, it was just wishful thinking, they'd probably adopted a new kitten. Too cold and tired to move, she watched the driver step out of the car. He was young, not young enough to be a child but younger than what her humans had been.

As he approached his home, bundled up against the harsh blasts funneling down the narrow streets, Cameron noticed something was off about the decor on his front step, a tiny ball of orange and black streaked beige fur by his door. His first instinct was to chase her off, he didn't have time for a pet and cats got into and onto everything. He'd never go to work hair free again. "Get outta here cat, I don't want you," he said, gently nudging her away from the door, "Go on, shoo," the she-kit refused to budge, mewling pathetically and curling deeper into herself, shaking in the cold, "Don't, don't do that...I can't keep you, I don't have time, go find someone else," Cameron pushed her towards the steps. She looked up at him with doleful copper eyes, expanding her pupils and tilting her head, mewing softly. Buffeted by a strong gust of wind, the human felt the first drops of the coming rainstorm, "Alright, fine, but only for the day," he mumbled, picking the kitten up and wrapping her up in the warmth of his coat, welcoming her into his home.

He carried her into the kitchen, "I bet you're hungry," he rocked her in his arms, going through the cupboards. He had to have something that a cat could eat, "I wonder if I have any eggs," he wondered.

"Mew, mew!" the kitten pawed at him excitedly.

"I know you're hungry," he mumbled, setting her down on the floor and walking to the fridge.

She watched the human closely, her small stomach rumbling loudly. If only he'd hurry things along, she felt ready to die from hunger. Maybe he'd get moving if she got up on the counter? Despite her short legs she could jump as well as any non-dwarfed breed, though it took her more calculation and tries to get the height of the jump right than it might have a longer legged feline. Pacing now, the kitten mewled again, watching Cameron crack an egg over the frying pan. It hit the metal with a crackling hiss, startling her some. Curiously spreading her whiskers, she approached the man as he cooked, leaning as close to the pan as she could.

"Hey, no, off the counter cat," Cameron pushed her off, "You'll get it when you get it, alright? Stay down."

"Mow!" protested the kit, lashing her tail.

"No."

"Mow!

"Don't talk back to me missy!" the young man caught himself laughing lightly, he'd been living alone too long if he was talking to a cat like it could understand him. He grabbed a small plate, scraping the scrambled egg onto it and placing it in front of her, "There you go, now, you enjoy your dinner while I get your room ready." It was just for the night, he wasn't going to get attached to her, tomorrow he'd bring her to the shelter and that would be that. Out of sight out of mind.


	3. Chapter 3

The following morning, Cameron fixed himself a decent breakfast of bacon and eggs. As he ate he could hear his pint sized guest scratching at the laundry room door, meowing loudly. Better get her fed and out the door, he had to get to the office early, "I'm coming cat!" he shouted, taking his leftovers to to the room he'd locked her in.

She looked up at him expectantly when the door opened then looked past him, now would be a good time to escape before he discovered her accident but...was that bacon she smelled? The kitten began to drool in the most undignified of ways, purring and pawing his legs to get at what he'd brought her. Cameron set the saucer down in front of her, sniffing around with a grimace on his face.

"Ugh, what's that smell?" he looked around, nothing was on the newspapers he'd laid down for her, "CAT!" Cameron snapped, spotting the source of the stench on the towel that's been meant to be the feline's bed, "You were suppose to go on the paper, not my towel!"

Her face slicked with bacon grease, she looked up at him, ears down in shame before bolting from the room.

"Yeah, you better run!" the human growled, carefully picking up the soiled red rectangle. Carrying it to the receptacle, Cameron didn't notice the worried kit watching from the counter. It wasn't until his return he saw her watching him, "Don't look at me like that."

"Mew?"

"Like you're sorry, you're a cat, just a dumb animal," Cameron sighed.

The kitten huffed in resentment, hopping down from the counter and sauntering back to her breakfast. The human blinked and watched her go before disinfecting his counter and continuing on with his morning routine as usual, ignoring his calico guest. The only time he took to think about her was in pondering of how he was going to safely transport her to the animal shelter. It wasn't like he could toss her in the car and go like she was a dog. He needed to contain her safely, but it just seemed cruel to stuff her in a pillowcase, but he didn't have many other options did he? He supposed a box would work just as well, but boxes were dark and didn't allow much air flow, he didn't want to give her a panic attack and kill her. If he wanted her out of the house before work it'd have to be the pillowcase method or leave her until he could get a crate to transport her in and thus risk a less easily cleaned mess to welcome him home.

Checking his overall appearance in the mirror, he took a pillow from his bed and dumped its contents before going out and looking for the little nuisance. She was back in the laundry room, laying down where the towel had once lay, grooming. Cameron sat beside her, "Now you decide to be in this spot?" he asked, stroking her back, "You're a strange kitty, cat. I'm sure you'll make someone very happy, but that person isn't me, so we're going to take a little ride, alright?" the kitten arched into he touch, purring. She was too enthralled by the sudden affection to care what her host was saying. By the time she took note of the man's words he had her by the scruff, chattering squeaks of protest filled her stiffened frame, "Sorry cat but I don't have another option," Cameron frowned as he struggled to stuff her in the case and tie it off before she could make an escape. Luckily she was small and easy to keep under a manageable amount of uncontrolled control.

Doing what he could to ignore frightened yowls, he carried the raging furry to his car, worried she might rip a hole in the case. He placed her safely in the passenger seat as he slipped into the driver's side. Habitually he turned on the radio and took a new route to work.


	4. Chapter 4

Cameron looked around the shelter, letting the cat out of the bag, holding her close to his chest. She was mad at him, but the barking of Pollicles and the yowls of other cats frightened her to the point of pressing into the man's chest. Mewling, she squeezed her eyes shut, abandoned again...this couldn't be happening. The human looked down at the trembling bundle in his arms, "This place isn't bad. You'll get adopted by someone who can actually have time for you."

The kitten hissed, he couldn't smell what she could. Untimely death, fear, depression. No animal liked being in a shelter, no matter how nice the humans were that cared for them, she remembered her father telling her about how animals would sometimes have to be put down after a certain amount of time to make room for new arrivals. She didn't want to be destroyed, she wanted to live with Cameron. "No..." she mewed weakly.

He blinked, raising a brow, "Did you just say...a word?"

Looking up at him, she mewed again, "Mo."

Cameron sighed heavily and looked around the shelter as he walked to the desk, pausing as his guest pressed deeper into him, "Don't be scared, cat, you'll be adopted in no time," her ears laid flat, her claws pressing into his coat. She was terrified, that was painfully obvious, and it was his fault. She'd picked him out of all the houses on the narrow street, she'd chosen his stoop. He closed his eyes, _You're thinking too far into things,_ he thought, trying to comfort her with a scratch on the back, she'd liked that before but now she was just gifting him with a wince. Frowning, Cameron turned around and stalked out of the building, unable to leave her someplace that scared her so.

* * *

Jellylorum paused, standing up to stretch out her stiff limbs. Laying back down she nuzzled Cameron's grizzled hand and smiled at him.

"I'm sorry I ever even thought of leaving you at the shelter," he crooned, tickling her under the chin. Jelly purred, licking his hand, "I don't think I'd of ever have met Jo if I had," mused the old man.

His old calico returned to her paws and walked to the edge of the bed, gazing at the faded photograph of a young Cameron and his new wife Jo. Jelly looked back to her old friend, padding to his side. Squeezing in under his arm, she thought of Jo and the theater she'd lived behind with her mother and their family of animals used in the plays held at the theater. Her copper eyes closed with a sigh. Its perhaps been a reckless thing she'd done in her youth, but if she hadn't done it, Cameron probably wouldn't have met Jo, at least on in a way that would have led to their long and happy marriage. Opening her eyes, the queen turned her attention back to the old man laying next to her, purring loudly.


	5. Chapter 5

It'd been five months since Cameron accepted the fact he was stuck with the Munchkin stray. His home had become oriented around the feline needs, entire shelf had been wiped clean of their contents to allow for her to perch and hide. His bed had become her's and he continued feed her human cuisine after discovering her kibble on touched several nights in a row. He'd even given her a name, Poppy. While the cat didn't feel that was her true name, she accepted it, it meant she was officially his and he wouldn't leave her behind in the way of her previous family.

Spring had finally broken through the winter snow, causing young Poppy to grow restless. Every time Cameron went through the door she caught a whiff of the glorious March air and a whisper of bird song. She wanted out, to explore the outside, but something always held her back from stepping out, even when Cameron held the door open for her to sit out on the stoop. Poppy feared she'd be abandoned again. It wouldn't have been the first time Cameron had threatened to disown her. She trusted he wouldn't attempt to bring her to the shelter a second time, but the fear was still with her.

But the fear of being abandoned and replaced was quickly out weighed by her burning desire to go out and explore the city. Promising herself she wouldn't get lost, Poppy finally took her first steps onto the stoop since meeting Cameron. After a week out exploring she'd proved to herself two things, she was a much better hunter-scavenger than before and her homing skills were botched. She hadn't a clue where in the city she was at. Where ever she was the buildings were taller, there were more cars to make it impossible to safely cross the streets, and the streets them selves where packed by the bustling feet of humans, all of them blind to the plight of the young feline.

It wasn't long before Poppy was forced to try to get around via the quieter alley ways. However, in ways they were scarier than the streets. She was alone but unable to shake the feeling that something was watching her, a predator, perhaps, waiting for her guard to fall before making a meal of her. Poppy kicked herself for having left the safety of the stoop, Cameron must have been worrying about her by now...unless he'd found himself a replacement. She shook her head, he'd never do that, she couldn't allow herself to believe he would. He'd spoil her rotten once she got home, she tried convincing herself, knowing her chances of getting home were shrinking the more she tried to find her way back to the residential area she'd come from.

Halting at a rain puddle, Poppy bent down for a drink. Admittedly, she preferred the rainwater to the tap she got back at home, it had a better flavor to it so long as the puddle was clean. This was one of the cleaner, telling her this alley wasn't often frequented though it didn't do much to ease her nerves. She was almost certain there was another animal in the alley. Not a dog or cat nor any sort of prey that she knew of. Licking her whiskers dry, the young queen looked around, there was nothing as far as she could see. Poppy shook her head, crouching for another drink. A shadow passed over her in an instant, her head jolted up, scanning the narrow strip of sky, clear and blue except for an ominous shape circling, waiting. With no way to fight off an aerial attacker, Poppy ran, hawk hot on her heels.

The hawk screeched, diving down for the kill. Poppy leapt away from extended talons clipping the end of her tail. Hissing, she continued down the alley, she had to get to open space where she could out maneuver the predator. She looked behind her, meeting the determined stare of the large bird gliding down the narrow alley. Her copper stare turned to the end of the alley, just barely able to make out a chain link fence denying her escape. Panicking she thought of trying to run back toward the street, but that'd require going toward the hungry bird. She yowled, seeking aid, her hunter diving down for her. Poppy pressed into the asphalt, bracing for the inbound talons.

Something cut into her scruff and pulled, causing her to cry out, convinced it was the hawk. Then...she was released, something warm wrapping around her. She opened her eyes, choking on the scent of rot, deafened by buzzing flies. Was this Hell? Poppy glanced at what had grabbed her; she honestly expected something more demonic than the muted brown-black tomcat staring out into the alley from under their dumpster shelter with his tail firmly covering her mouth.


	6. Chapter 6

Poppy stared at the tomcat, shaking. Swatting his tail away from her muzzle, she crept forward to look for the hawk, "Is it gone?" she mewed shakily. The tom remained silent in his vigil. She swallowed, shrinking back, perhaps it was best to remain quiet and follow the tom's lead, he seemed to know what he was doing.

He looked back at her, motioning her to follow with a flick of his tail before crawling out from under the dumpster. The short fur turned and sat, "Its gone, you can come out now," he chuckled.

Poppy looked around then wriggled out. Shaking out her pelt she sighed, "Thank you for your help Mister, but I had it under control."

The tom sorted, "Not from what I saw, you were ten seconds away from becoming crow food," he stood up and stretched, chuckling at the queen's indignant pout, "Where you from Munchkin?"

"That's really none of your business now is it, Old Man?"

"I suppose not..."

"Exactly so, I'll be on my way now. Good day," Poppy stated, turning away sharply.

The tom cut her off, "And if the hawk comes back?" He asked, lids drooped, smirking.

"I uh...um...I'll just find a place to hide again."

"I can do you one better, I know a place where the food's free and the beds are always warm. Predator free, I guarantee it," he purred.

Poppy rolled her eyes, "Why would I go anywhere with you?"

"Mm, saving your pelt from a hawk seems like a pretty good reason to go with me."

Poppy snarled and huffed; stupid tom. He was just some mangy flea-bitten stray that sort of had a point. She probably would have been made into a feast for the bird if it hadn't been for him and a warm bed was ever so tempting to her. The older cat could also show her around the city and get her home, if not, he could at least make it easier for her to survive, "Alright, fine, I'll go with you."

"Groovy," grinned the stranger. With his tail held perpendicular, he lead the way out of the alley. They walked together in near silence, he hummed Beatles the entire time. Poppy was a little impressed he knew any music, she couldn't fathom how a stray could have been exposed to the human art long enough for him to have memorized any one song let alone several, "What's your name little lady?" he asked suddenly as they waited for the street to be clear for crossing, "I'm Asparagus Salem Mincoax the Sixth, Gus works too though."

Poppy blinked, "Poppy, just Poppy."

Gus raised a brow, "Is that your family name or your actual name?"

She cocked her head, "I don't understand..."

"You're a pet," Gus flicked her collar's bell, "You've got the name your human calls you then the name other cats call you by," he was met with a blank expression, "I'm guessing you were taken from your mum when you little... Okay, um, its like this. My actual name is Asparagus Salem Mincoax the Sixth, right? Right. But humans know me by a different name, they call me Shakespeare. Its the name they gave me, but not my name, are you understanding me at all?"

Poppy furrowed her brow, following him across the street, "Do I have to have a second name? I like Poppy..."

"But Poppy is so generic. How can you hold your tail up? Where's your pride Munchkin? You need a name that's particular, peculiar, a name that's dignified! A name all to yourself," he watched her, chuckling at the confused twitch of her ears, "I'll let you think on that one."

"I don't need to think on anything, two names is stupid. Poppy is a good name and I like it."

"Mm hm, whatever you say Munchkin, you know Poppy has never really felt right, its not your real name."

She narrowed her gaze, he was right, the name Cameron had given her didn't feel right. Poppy wondered how he'd known she felt that way, she wondered what had happened to the humans that had named him Shakespeare. If he'd been named he clearly had had a human once. She chuffed, the moggie was probably making the whole thing up, he looked like a storyteller, probably trying to impress her. Talk about names had to be the strangest of way to impress, however. Poppy flicked her tail, her gangly guide had brought her to a quieter part of the city. He pushed her towards a plain square building, Poppy imagined that it was quite bright when the sun went down...if the reds and yellows she was seeing really were the lights she thought them to be. She eyed Gus as he passed her, trotting along the side of the building. This was the place she was going to get free food and a warm bed? It looked cold and empty at the moment, but she'd followed him this far, she was in it until the end. She ran after him, following him cautiously through a gap in the privacy fence.


	7. Chapter 7

Scrambling through the open window, Poppy was greeted by the scents of animals of a number of species, "What is this place?" she asked, moving in close to Gus.

The older cat chuckled and gave her shoulder a comforting nuzzle, "Home," he stated simply, "The Missus is in the theater...the building the home is attached to. She'll be back when she's finished working then we eat."

Poppy nodded, watching the tabby jump up onto a heavily clawed sofa next to a curly coated dog as if the Pollicle were just another cat. She stared, wide eyed, "Y-you know that's a-a dog, right?"

Gus stretched and curled into the large animal, "Bo's harmless, he doesn't hunt cats anymore Munchkin, the Missus trained him not too."

"It has a name?"

"Yes, all animals have names silly," Gus chuckled, "Not just cats and people."

Poppy nodded, curling up on the floor and always watching the sleeping beast. Her ears pinned against a sharp squawk. Poppy began to wonder if it was just birds, cats and dogs that where housed behind the theater; why did Gus come here? Surely he could find other places that offered him food and shelter without the stink or the noise. Her gaze returned to him, scanning his dopey smiling face hanging off the sofa. His scabbed ears twitching contently, even his eyes seemed to smile. Poppy cocked her head, holding hos lazy gaze, "What are you looking at?"

"Oh, nothing much," Gus rolled onto his back, stretching, "Think of your name yet Munchkin?"

"If I do, will you stop calling me that?" she hissed.

The muted brown mackerel wriggled his toes in the air, sighing, "Maybe, maybe not, I kinda like callin' you Munchkin."

"You're annoying," she stated flatly, turning her back to him in favor of the squawking parrot in its cage.

Gus scoffed, rolling into his snoring couch mate. What was her problem? He'd been nothing but kind to her, it wasn't like he showed every animal he met the back of the theater. In fact it wasn't everyday he rescued other Jellicles from predators, it wasn't practical to survival. Had to have been the round stomach and the bell that had been the motive behind involving himself with the little queen, Everlasting knew that his caregiver would be distraught if he didn't make his daily visits to the theater he couldn't imagine what her human was going through. Yawning, he hopped down from his perch to Poppy's side, wrapping around her with a throat full of comforting purrs.

Poppy turned her ear toward him, slowly snuggling closer, laying her head on his side. She'd have preferred the crook of Cameron's knee, but the stray would have to do for now. She kicked herself for ever having left the stoop of her home. Hopefully this Missus of Gus's would notice her collar and check the tags, hopefully Cameron would be contacted and she's be able to go home and never step outside again. She shook her head. The calico queen had to think of something other than him. Poppy furrowed her brow. What about her name? Something for Gus to call her other than that horrid nickname...her own ineffable effable name; but wouldn't naming herself be a betrayal to Cameron's love? She wasn't a stray like her companion, it didn't seem necessary to have another name. However, experience told her that the name granted by humans could change. Poppy could hardly recall the ones that came before him, but she remembered that before she was Poppy she'd been called by another name. The young cat twitched her whiskers thinking that perhaps, as insane and impractical as it had sounded before, Gus's emphasis on a second name was a needed implement if only for identity's sake.

She scanned her body, from her dwarfed legs to her disproportionately longer trunk. The gears of her mind set at work, her mutation kept her low to the ground, something that would never change. She could use that for her name, not as literal as what the eyes saw, but useable none the less. Poppy lifted her chin about to ask advice from Gus when a new scent entered the room. The Missus.


End file.
